Before she went to join Sam and Mogget downstairs, Lirael paused for a moment to look at herself in the tall silver mirror that hung on the wall of her room. The image that faced her bore little resemblance to the Second Assistant Librarian of the Clayr. She saw a warlike and grim young woman, dark hair bound back with a silver cord rather than hanging free to disguise her face. She no longer wore her librarian's waistcoat, and she had a long Nehima at her side rather than a library-issue dagger.

Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large extended family living in the Clayr's glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight, the ability to See into the present and possibly futures, that is the very birthright of the Clayr.

Sabriel

Ever since she was a tiny child, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father, the Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world.

Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen

Award-winning author Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom with a thrilling prequel complete with dark magic, royalty, dangerous action, a strong heroine, and flawless world-building. This epic fantasy adventure is destined to be a classic, and is perfect for fans of Game of Thrones.

To Hold the Bridge

Garth Nix is renowned for his legendary fantasy works, but To Hold the Bridge showcases his versatility, as the collection offers 19 short stories from every genre of literature, including science fiction, paranormal, realistic fiction, mystery, and adventure. Whether writing about vampires, detectives, ancient spirits, or odd jobs, Garth Nix's ability to pull his readers into new worlds is extraordinary.

Grim Tuesday: The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2

Arthur doesn't think he'll have to return to the strange house that nearly killed him on Monday, the house that contains an entire world. But Tuesday brings new challenges: the enemy Grim Tuesday, who threatens the well-being of both Arthur's family and his world. Arthur must retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday in order to save everything; an adventure that will include stealing a Sunship, fighting the void-like Nithlings, and traveling in the scary Far Reaches for the ultimate showdown.

Lord Sunday: The Keys to the Kingdom #7

The house is falling apart, and when it is destroyed, all existence will be destroyed with it. Arthur Penhaligon and his friends Leaf and Suzy are caught in the chaos, separated by events but drawn together in their fight to survive. They must use every power at their disposal magical or practical to defeat the enemies attacking them from all sides.

Lady Friday: Keys to the Kingdom, Book 5

Four of the seven Trustees have been defeated and their Keys taken, but for Arthur, the week is still getting worse. Suzy Blue and Fred Gold Numbers have been captured by the Piper, and his New Nithling army still controls most of the Great Maze. Superior Saturday is causing trouble wherever she can, including turning off all the elevators in the House and blocking the Front Door.

Superior Saturday: Keys to the Kingdom, Book 6

Arthur Penhaligan has wrestled five of the Keys from their immortal guardians, the Trustees of the Will. But gaining the Sixth Key poses a greater challenge than any he has faced before. Superior Saturday is not just one of the Trustees - she is also the oldest Denizen and the most powerful and knowledgeable sorcerer within the House.

Drowned Wednesday: The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3

Wednesday has rolled around, and Arthur Penhaligon has an invitation to return to the House that he can't refuse. Drowned Wednesday has sent a ship to pick him up from the hospital...even though his hometown is miles away from any ocean.

Sir Thursday: Keys to the Kingdom, Book 4

On the fourth day there was war. Following their adventures in the Border Sea, Arthur and Leaf head for home. But only Leaf gets through the front door. Arthur is blocked because someone, or something, has assumed his identity and is taking over his life. Before Arthur can take action, he is drafted by Sir Thursday and forced to join the Glorious Army of the Architect.

Shade's Children

In a futuristic urban wasteland, evil Overlords have decreed that no human shall live a day past their 14th birthday. On that Sad Birthday, the children of the Dorms are taken to the Meat Factory, where they will be made into creatures whose sole purpose is to kill. The mysterious Shade - once a man but now more like the machines he fights - recruits the few teenagers who escape into a secret resistance force. With luck, cunning, and skill, four of Shade’s children come closer than the others to discovering the source of the Overlords’ power - and the key to their downfall.

A Confusion of Princes

You'd think being a Prince in a vast intergalactic empire would be about as good as it gets, particularly when Princes are faster, smarter, and stronger than normal humans. Not to mention being mostly immortal. But it isn't as great as it sounds. Princes need to be hard to kill - as Khemri learns the minute he becomes one - for they are always in danger. Their greatest threat? Other Princes. Every Prince wants to become Emperor, and the surest way to do so is to kill, dishonor, or sideline any potential competitor.

The Godling Chronicles Omnibus: Books 1-3

Darkness comes as a new power rises in Angrääl. The Dark Knight has betrayed the gods and stolen The Sword of Truth, trapping them in heaven. With the power of the Sword, he can reshape the world and bring death to all who oppose him. Only one thing stands between the darkness and the light - Gewey Stedding. Only he has the power to stand against the oncoming storm. Only he can mend the world. But only if he can discover his power.

The Amulet of Samarkand: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1

Nathaniel is eleven-years-old and a magician's apprentice, learning the traditional art of magic. All is well until he has a life-changing encounter with Simon Lovelace, a magician of unrivaled ruthlessness and ambition. When Lovelace brutally humiliates Nathaniel in public, Nathaniel decides to speed up his education, teaching himself spells far beyond his years. With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all and summons Bartimaeus, a five-thousand-year-old djinni, to assist him.

Uprooted

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for 10 years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

Firefight: Reckoners, Book 2

Newcago is free. They told David it was impossible, that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet Steelheart - invincible, immortal, unconquerable - is dead. And he died by David's hand.Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life simpler. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And no one in Newcago can give him answers.Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though.

Emperor Mage: The Immortals: Book 3

In this third volume of the popular Immortals Quartet, Daine enters a glittering world laced with danger and treachery, a world that grows more intense when the gods themselves push her to use her wild magic for their own ends.

The Golem's Eye: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2

Two years have passed since young apprentice magician Nathaniel became famous by foiling the ruthless Simon Lovelace. Now 14, Nathaniel is ambitiously climbing the ranks of the magicians' government. The Prime Minister himself has placed Nathaniel in charge of capturing the Resistance, a group of unruly commoners working to undermine the magicians' empire. But after several failed attempts, Nathaniel is forced to admit he can't do it alone.

Troubletwisters

Jaide and Jack Shield’s lives are changing in a very, very strange way. The weather is turning against them. Magical disasters occur when they’re around. And a mysterious explosion has just destroyed their house... from the inside.Without knowing why, the twins are stolen away to live with Grandma X - a relative they’ve never, ever met. The time has come for them to discover the truth - and the powers that come with the truth. Are they ready?

The Realms of the Gods: The Immortals, Book 4

When a battle with death-dealing Skinners catapults Daine and her mentor, Numair, into the divine realms the riddles of Daine’s past finally begin to reveal themselves. However the pair must return to their beloved Tortall, for the kingdom is under attack and survival depends on Daine’s wild magic.A harrowing journey across the divine realms leads Daine and Numair through danger to dragons; to a breathtaking confrontation with their great enemy Ozorne; and finally brings Daine face to face with the Great Gods, who will force the girl to make the most important decision of her life.

The Shadow of What Was Lost: The Licanius Trilogy, Book 1

It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.

Publisher's Summary

Before she went to join Sam and Mogget downstairs, Lirael paused for a moment to look at herself in the tall silver mirror that hung on the wall of her room. The image that faced her bore little resemblance to the Second Assistant Librarian of the Clayr. She saw a warlike and grim young woman, dark hair bound back with a silver cord rather than hanging free to disguise her face. She no longer wore her librarian's waistcoat, and she had a long Nehima at her side rather than a library-issue dagger. But she had kept her library whistle, tucking it into the small pouch at her belt. Though she was many, many leagues from any help the whistle might summon, she felt the need to cling to some small part of her past and her identity.

What the Critics Say

"Abhorsen is an excellent denouement for a fantasy that is both literary and popularly accessible. Out loud, the powers of this future classic are intensified, especially through Curry's inspired dramatization." (School Library Journal) "At once an allegory regarding war and peace and a testament to friendship, this thought-provoking fantasy also resolves the true identities of the popular Dog and Mogget characters and suggests that Nix may still have more tricks up his sleeve." (Publishers Weekly)

First off - this is the last book in the trilogy starting with Sabriel, and continues the story from Lireal. While several years passed between the action in Sabriel and Lireal, this book picks up immediately from the cliff-hanger that ended Lireal. What does that mean? You need to listen to the first two books before reading this one - don't try to listen to them out of order!

With that said, this book continues the remarkably good young adult series by Garth Nix, although the books are at least as well suited to an adult audience, especially Abhorsen, the darkest of the lot. Abhorsen revolves around a race to stop an ancient evil from being brought into the world, which sounds like a typical fantasy plotline, but in Nix's hands it is made fresh by his complex world and compelling characters. Tim Curry's reading is excellent, and, if not quite as inventive as the first two books, this provides an exciting and impressive conclusion, in which many mysteries are resolved from the rest of the series.

If you like Philip Pullman, J. K. Rowling's more recent (darker) Harry Potter novels, or George R. R. Martin, you should strongly consider listening to this series.

Firstly, the narration was extremely well-done. The only thing that I didn't like very much was Mogget's voice, though this is only a matter of preference, and I cannot fault the narrator for that.
The book itself is very engaging and a good read/listen, though I have to agree with one of the other reviewers about the heroine: she is too whiney and distraught over something she really should have been used to by this point. Being a Remembrancer should be enough for her, especially since she's the only one in the world, but she can't seem to get over not being able to see into the future. This is tiring after a while. Other than that, it's a good story.

This is an excellent conclusion to the Old Kingdom series as well as a perfect conclusion to the story begun in Lirael. I would suggest reading the two previous books in the series first because this book picks up right where the last one left off. This means that the action begins in the first chapter, keeping your interest until the end. The main characters continue their journey to stop an ancient being from destroying the world. This book is filled with magical fights that would rival those in Harry Potter. You will NOT want to stop listening.

This series is remarkable on so many levels. Garth Nix is a genius at creating rich, fantastic worlds fraught with gritty emotion and thrilling excitement and this final installment in the "Old Kingdom" series does not disappoint!

The characters are engaging, the story is tight, and Tim Curry is perfect.

This is a worthy sequel to Lireal (sp?) which I also enjoyed. This book has a bit more depth. The talking dog and cat still made me roll my eyes a little (is it Disney or Jar-Jar?) but it didn't spoil the story. Plus they are more than they seem, like every other character in this book. The ending was satisfying and worth the two-book wait, although the last couple of pages were a little predictable. I had a hard time putting this one down.

Tim Curry has a great reading voice. He loses his character's voices a couple times, but overall very good. The story is deep fantasy, with lots of complex, arcane magic; deep, inferred history; and evil necromancers. Story sags just a little near the end, but overall, Highly Recommended.

This book is beautifully written, as is always the case with Garth Nix. I did not expect to find an audio version which even began to portray the beauty and depth of his world, but Tim Curry was definitely the right person to chose to do so. If you've read the series, or are simply looking to find out if it's any good, I would definitely suggest listening to this.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Ian

SheffieldUnited Kingdom

2/16/09

Overall

"Awesome"

Brilliant climax to a superb trilogy. Moves from the Sameth/Lirael 'discovering their identities' phase to riveting action. Brilliantly read, and wonderful characters. The Disreputable Dog and Mogget are witty and intelligent additions to the blossoming pair of Sameth and Lirael, for whom you find yourself rooting for more and more as the tension mounts. A great pity it had to end.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Elizabeth

St Albans, Herts, United Kingdom

3/8/07

Overall

"Great"

I couldnt wait to get into the third book of the trilogy. The narration was great and the story lived up to expectations. Excellent overall

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

NV

6/17/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Fabulous"

This is garth nix best book. Tim Curry's dark, dramatic voice aids the story well. I have read the books myself many times and the audio book is just as good. Thoroughly recommend !

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Ms. H. Morris

UK

2/9/11

Overall

"Love it!"

Having loved the books I got these audio versions and haven't been disappointed! The narrator does a fantastic job and I have had many happy hours listening! Already listened to them all twice! Fantastic!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

G

9/8/09

Overall

"Sabrial and Larial by Garth Nix"

Both these books are wonderful stories. Not just for kids either, I am 50 and have really enjoyed them. I am about to get the third and final part and I am sure it will not disapoint.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Can't wait to hear more from this listener?

You can now follow your favorite reviewers on Audible.

When you follow another listener, we'll highlight the books they review, and even email* you a copy of any new reviews they write. You can un-follow a listener at any time to stop receiving their updates.

* If you already opted out of emails from Audible you will still get review emails by the listeners you follow.